The arrival of weaving equipment in Yell has seen the beginning of a new project to combine textile design, education and production with music and hospitality. The Centre for the Creative Industries will be based in Sellafirth, and will be a base for the exploration of cross-collaboration, innovation and technical know-how in the fields of weaving and vocal music through the charity, GlobalYell Ltd. In conjunction with the Wind Dog Cafe, cafe owners and charity directors, Andy Ross and Andrew Harrison have come up with the concept of the Centre after a series of meetings and workshops looking at vocal music tuition, and the experiences of textile producers in Shetland.
At the beginning of September ASF Weave in Arundel, West Sussex closed. The internationally acclaimed ASF Weave Studio was established in 2001 to raise the profile and design quality of woven textiles. It won an impressive reputation as a base for the experimental design research and development of woven textiles, as well as for its trail-blazing programme of Design Research Fellowships for talented post-graduate weave designers. The ASF Weave Fellows have gone on to work internationally across the fields of fashion, furnishing, interior architecture, product design and technology. The assets of ASF Weave have been transferred to Global Yell Ltd, a charitable company established principally to teach and train in the fields of music and textiles by Mr Ross and Mr Harrison. The equipment will be used by a new organisation, to be named ‘ASF Shetland’, which will be a key part of the Centre for the Creative Industries. ASF Shetland will work closely with Shetland College and local weavers and knitters to develop the Shetland textiles industry and create a hub for textiles-related tourism in Shetland.
Said Andy Ross, Director of GlobalYell
“ In conjunction with the development of vocal music, the Centre for the Creative Industries will become a focus for art and craft in the North Isles and we look forward to our vision becoming reality. We are delighted to continue the great work of ASF Weave in Shetland and believe that the generous gift of their looms and other equipment to ASF Shetland will provide a huge boost to the further development of textiles in the region.”
Ann Sutton, the Founder of ASF Weave, will continue to be involved, acting as an advisor to the Board of ASF Shetland, and as a frequent visitor to the Centre in Shetland. Ann Sutton said: “I can think of no better place than Shetland for ASF to continue its work. The Centre for the Creative Industries is an exciting vision for a remote part of the United Kingdom, and I am delighted that ASF Weave can assist with the creation of ASF Shetland.”
Professor Simon Olding, Chair of ASF Weave, said: “It is very exciting that the legacy of ASF Weave will persist in a new form. It has found a destination both rich in creative textile work and with an entrepreneurial approach to developing creative industries in line with our original aspirations. We wish ASF Shetland every success.”
The Centre will be based at first in Unit 4, Sellafirth Business Park, and will start operating at the end of October 2006. For further details contact Andy Ross, GlobalYell Ltd, T (07900) 430 429, E -mail aross@btinternet.com
